0:00

MUSIC MUSIC

0:13

Imagine it's July 22, 1916, and you're

0:17

outside the Ferry Building in San Francisco,

0:19

California. Today you're marching along

0:21

with tens of thousands of people to urge

0:23

America to get ready for the possibility of

0:25

war. So far,

0:27

America has stayed neutral in the Great War

0:30

that's been ravaging Europe for the last two

0:32

years. But with each passing month,

0:34

it seems that the fighting spreads. You

0:36

believe President Woodrow Wilson should be doing more

0:38

to prepare the country to enter the war.

0:41

And all summer, Americans like you have been marching

0:43

in major cities to make that point. You

0:46

and your fellow marchers call them preparedness

0:48

parades. Though today's parade

0:50

is political, it has a carnival

0:52

atmosphere, complete with floats and watermelon

0:55

eating contests. You hear whistles

0:57

blowing and cheers. A marching band starts

0:59

playing the Star Spangled Banner and My

1:01

Country Tis of Thee. And

1:03

as the parade fully gets underway, you turn

1:05

to your friend beside you, who you met

1:07

serving overseas in the Spanish-American War. Despite

1:10

all the festivities, he looked grim-faced.

1:13

You poke him in the ribs. Hey, you

1:15

gonna walk around with that hang dog look for the next

1:17

six hours? Why so glum? Well,

1:19

I'm worried. Haven't you heard the rumor? No,

1:21

what rumor? There's gonna be trouble. I heard

1:23

all the leftist, anarchists, and trade unionists in

1:25

the city had a big meeting a couple

1:27

of days back. Well, it is San Francisco.

1:30

I'm surprised they found somewhere big enough to

1:32

fit them all. No, I'm serious. Look at

1:34

this. They're talking violence. Your

1:36

friend shoves a pamphlet into your hand. You

1:39

scan the page and land on an ominous warning.

1:41

It says here they're going to use a little

1:43

direct action to show that militarism can't

1:45

be forced on them and their children

1:48

without a violent protest. You

1:50

shove the pamphlet back into your friend's hands.

1:52

Nah, they're all talk. These People are cowards.

1:54

They say they want peace, but to get

1:56

it or keep it, sometimes you gotta be

1:58

willing to fight. To

2:01

those. Anarchist nor been waiting? You mean

2:03

just look around how many people are

2:05

on the citizens with. Your

2:08

friends shrugs, his expressions do now

2:10

and despite your bravado, your words

2:12

to the national for Humans may

2:14

be going your way. With despite

2:17

a large turnout, opposition to preparedness.

2:19

remain strong. Turn back your friends

2:21

and you know what really goals.

2:25

Assists in reality the German army

2:28

and members as to why did.

2:31

He do that twenty door. If we

2:33

do end up in this fight we

2:35

need to be able to defend versus

2:37

your friends Starts to reply for before

2:39

he can utter a word. And

2:42

Explosion Nazi both to the ground. Days

2:46

he stumble see feet, smoke fills

2:48

the air realize that those more

2:50

just empty threats the so called

2:52

pacifists have bombed a parade strewn

2:54

around to look for your friend,

2:56

he still on the ground storm

2:58

look on his face and gas

3:00

on. The side of his leg

3:02

is bleeding from where shrapnel tore

3:04

through his pants and look around

3:06

frantically for help. Notice with dread

3:08

somebodies of the street lying motionless

3:10

on the ground. You grit your

3:12

teeth and anger and worry as

3:15

you realize the heated debate about

3:17

America's role in the world. War

3:19

has just turned deadly. American

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Wonder if I'm Lindsey Graham and

4:58

this is American history tellers? our

5:00

history. You're still. On

5:17

our show will take you to the events

5:20

times in the people but shaped America and

5:22

Americans. Are values or struggles

5:24

and our dreams. Will put

5:26

you in the shoes of everyday citizens as history

5:28

was being made. And will show you

5:30

how be events of the times a second, them,

5:32

their families and a sex you know. In.

5:35

The Summer of Nineteen, fourteen diplomatic

5:37

clashes erupted between a major powers

5:39

and Europe when Archduke Franz Ferdinand

5:42

of Austria Hungary was assassinated in

5:44

the Balkans by Serbian separatists. Europe's

5:47

intricate web of alliances built

5:49

over decades quickly transformed this

5:51

regional conflicts into a global

5:53

one. The. First World War known

5:55

as the time as the Great War.

5:58

And. with the advent of new tech them The

6:00

war would rack up a death toll that

6:03

surpassed all previous conflicts and number in the

6:05

millions. Initially, the United

6:07

States regarded the fighting in Europe with

6:09

deep ambivalence. President Woodrow

6:11

Wilson declared the U.S. would remain neutral, and

6:13

in the early days of the war, popular

6:15

opinion was on his side, as

6:18

many Americans failed to see a clear moral purpose

6:20

in going to war. But ultimately,

6:22

German submarine attacks on commercial ships,

6:24

acts of sabotage on American soil,

6:27

and diplomatic treachery would draw the

6:29

U.S. into the fight, and

6:32

once engaged, the first world war

6:34

fundamentally changed America. The U.S.

6:36

government moved quickly to crack down on

6:39

internal dissent and fortify its intelligence services

6:41

in the face of suspected acts of

6:43

espionage. America diverted its

6:45

military and industrial strength to fighting

6:47

the war, and social change swept

6:49

the nation. Alcohol was

6:51

banned, women won the right to

6:54

vote, and African Americans moved north

6:56

in great numbers, helping to transform

6:58

America's cities. So by

7:00

the time armistice was declared, the United

7:02

States had become a military powerhouse and

7:04

a new world leader, determined

7:07

to take a role in shaping the future

7:09

of diplomatic relations across the globe. This

7:12

is episode one, preparedness. On

7:18

the morning of June 28, 1914,

7:20

a six-car motorcade hurried through Sarajevo

7:23

towards the town hall. In

7:25

an open-top car sat the heir

7:27

apparent of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand,

7:29

and his wife, Duchess Sophie, waving

7:31

to the crowds. But

7:34

they were both on edge. Only a

7:36

few minutes earlier, Serbian militants from the

7:38

terrorist group the Black Hand had thrown

7:40

a bomb at the Archduke's vehicle. The

7:42

bomb missed the Archduke, but exploded

7:44

under another vehicle, injuring at least

7:47

sixteen people, and splattering blood over

7:49

the speech the Archduke was about to

7:51

deliver. Despite this brazen

7:53

attack, the shaken Austrian Archduke gave his

7:55

speeches planned, and afterward he and the

7:57

Duchess decided that rather

8:00

than wait for a military escort, they should

8:02

go to the hospital to visit those wounded

8:04

in the bombing. But as their

8:06

motorcade headed back through the city, the convoy

8:08

took a wrong turn. Realizing

8:11

the mistake, the Archduke's driver tried to

8:13

put the car in reverse, but his

8:15

frantic efforts caused it to stall instead.

8:18

Faithfully, the car came to

8:20

a stop right next to a nineteen-year-old

8:22

supporter of the Black Hand, Gavrilo Prensip.

8:25

Prensip seized the opportunity. He

8:28

whipped out a pistol and fired twice

8:30

at point-blank range. The first bullet

8:32

hit the Archduke in the neck, and the second

8:34

hit the Duchess in the abdomen. By

8:37

noon, both had died from their wounds. And

8:40

these two deaths would tip Europe and

8:42

the world into war. For

8:44

years, there had been a growing belief

8:46

that a great war was coming. A

8:48

final showdown between the world's imperial powers,

8:51

and fueling that belief was the German Empire.

8:54

Germany itself had existed for only forty

8:56

years. Before 1871, it

8:59

consisted of a loose confederation of

9:01

interwarring states. But Germany's

9:03

ruler, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was a man

9:05

of ambition. He was a

9:07

strong supporter of German industry and scientific

9:10

progress. He also championed the

9:12

build-up of Germany's military, having grown up

9:14

absorbing the militaristic culture of Prussia, a

9:16

kingdom that engineered the unification of

9:18

Germany. While he was also known

9:21

to be impatient and often erratic,

9:23

veering from displays of extreme arrogance

9:25

to deep depressions. Shortly

9:27

after becoming emperor in 1888, he

9:30

had adopted a policy called Weltpolitik,

9:32

meaning world politics, with the aim

9:34

of turning Germany into the world's

9:36

mightiest empire. By 1914, Germany

9:40

was well on its way to achieving this goal.

9:42

It had the world's biggest army, controlled colonies

9:45

in Africa and Asia, and was out to

9:47

build a navy that could challenge Britain's superiority

9:49

on the seas. But

9:51

the Kaiser's policies were not just born

9:53

from expansionist dreams. They were

9:55

also driven by paranoia about the nations

9:57

on Germany's borders. Germany

10:00

sat in the middle of Europe, sandwiched

10:02

between two powerful rivals. To

10:04

the east lay the Russian Empire, and to the west

10:06

was France, which in 1870 had gone to war against

10:10

Germany to try to stop unification. The

10:13

Kaiser feared that if France and Russia

10:15

were to attack at the same time

10:17

they could crush Germany, and even worse,

10:20

France, Russia, and our third rival, Great

10:22

Britain, shared an informal alliance to unite

10:24

against Germany if ever war broke out.

10:28

And the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

10:30

had just made that danger all the

10:32

more real. In response

10:34

to the Archduke's murder, in July 1914,

10:36

Austria-Hungary decided the answer

10:39

to its Serbian separatist problem was

10:41

to invade Serbia. But they worried

10:44

that this would spark a war with Serbia's

10:46

ally, Russia. So Austria-Hungary asked

10:48

Germany for backup. The Kaiser

10:50

promised Germany would step in if

10:52

Russia attacked. Reassured by

10:55

Germany's pledge of support, Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia

10:57

on July 28, 1914. And by then,

10:59

Russian forces

11:02

were amassing on Austria-Hungary's eastern

11:04

border. In what became

11:07

known as the July Crisis, urgent

11:09

telegrams pinged back and forth between

11:11

Berlin, Moscow, and Vienna. Germany

11:14

warned Russia not to interfere, while

11:16

Russia demanded Austria-Hungary leave Serbia alone.

11:19

Austria-Hungary refused. And

11:21

finally, on August 1, Germany sent

11:24

Russia an ultimatum, ordering it to

11:26

stop mobilizing to attack Austria-Hungary within

11:28

twelve hours or face war. These

11:31

twelve hours came and went. And

11:33

true to the Kaiser's word, Germany declared war

11:35

on Russia. Soon after, France

11:37

and Britain declared war on Germany. And

11:40

thanks to these nations' vast empires around

11:42

the globe, this was now a world

11:44

war. On one side

11:46

were the Allies, Britain, France, and Russia.

11:49

They were soon joined by Japan, which hoped

11:51

to acquire Germany's colonies in Asia. On

11:54

the other side were the Central Powers,

11:56

Germany and Austria-Hungary, and they soon gained

11:58

the support of the Ottoman Empire. air, which had

12:00

long jostled with Britain and Russia over influence

12:03

in the Middle East. With

12:05

frightening rapidity, the Kaiser's fears had

12:07

come true, and Germany now faced

12:09

a two-front war with France in the West

12:11

and Russia in the East. But

12:13

Germany's military chiefs had been mapping out this

12:16

scenario for years, and they had a plan.

12:18

They would concentrate all of their efforts

12:21

on defeating France before Russia's poorly

12:23

organized military could fully mobilize. Once

12:25

France was beaten, Germany could then launch

12:28

a full-force attack on Russia. This

12:30

strategy was known as the Schlieffen Plan.

12:33

Before this plan to work, Germany needed

12:35

to beat France quickly. To

12:37

do that, it needed to avoid French

12:39

fortifications on the French-German border, so

12:42

it sent its armies through neutral Belgium. German

12:45

troops charged into Belgium, slaughtering, raping,

12:47

and torturing civilians as they blazed

12:49

their way toward France. All the

12:52

while, in the United States, President Woodrow Wilson

12:54

watched warily as the news of the war

12:56

in Europe poured in. A

12:58

former academic Wilson had served as president

13:00

of Princeton University and as governor of

13:02

New Jersey before being elected to the

13:05

U.S. presidency in 1912. He

13:07

was a Democrat with strong southern roots

13:09

and had a reputation as a reserved

13:11

intellectual. In early August 1914, he

13:14

was shocked to learn that Germany had violated

13:16

the neutrality of Belgium and crossed the border

13:19

into France. But he was initially

13:21

determined that the United States should not get

13:23

involved. And despite his growing

13:25

concern about the war in Europe, he

13:27

couldn't turn his attention from matters at

13:29

home, where he was facing a personal

13:31

crisis. Imagine

13:36

it's August 5th, 1914, and you're

13:38

an advisor to U.S. President Woodrow

13:41

Wilson. You're walking through the

13:43

finely decorated hallways of the White House. And

13:46

normally, the place is a buzz with activity.

13:48

But today, gloom hangs in the air. You

13:51

pass people whispering on the corridors and climb

13:53

the staircase to the private quarters. At

13:55

the top of the stairs, you see the door to

13:57

the bedroom where the president now spends most of his

13:59

time. time. You

14:02

listen outside to close the door for a moment and

14:05

then knock gently. President

14:07

Wilson opens the door and you can tell

14:09

from the redness around his eyes that he's

14:11

been crying. Behind him, you

14:14

catch a glimpse of the doctor tending to the

14:16

first lady. It's common knowledge that

14:18

she's suffering from some sort of kidney disease,

14:20

but by the look of things, she doesn't

14:22

look like she has much time left. You

14:24

address the president. Sir, I'm sorry

14:27

to intrude, but we must discuss the

14:29

European war. Wilson gives

14:31

a stern nod, steps into the

14:33

corridor and closes the bedroom door behind him. Let's

14:35

talk here. I've not told Ellen about the

14:38

war. There's no sadness in that room already.

14:41

You nod, feeling guilty for demanding his

14:43

attention at such a difficult moment. And

14:46

Wilson notices you're unease. Oh,

14:48

it's all right. I am the

14:50

president and the nation must come first. What do you

14:52

need? Well, sir, is it still

14:54

your intention to declare neutrality in the European

14:56

conflict? Yes, I thought I was clear on that.

14:59

You were. I just thought that

15:01

these reports from Belgium warranted further

15:03

consideration. The German outrageous there has

15:06

surely strengthened the case for war. What's

15:08

happening in Belgium is terrible, and I have

15:10

no wish to send Americans to their deaths

15:12

on foreign soil for a foreign cause. And

15:15

we lack sufficient military in any case. You

15:18

nod, aware that the U.S. Army

15:20

has few men and still uses

15:22

outdated rifles while Europe's huge armies

15:24

have modern weaponry like machine guns.

15:27

The United States has a strong Navy, but

15:29

the allies already have the more powerful

15:31

British Royal Navy at their disposal. Still,

15:33

it doesn't feel right to ignore what's happening in

15:35

Europe. You try another tack. Now,

15:38

sir, what about financial support? No,

15:40

no, no, we must stay out of this war. I

15:43

won't risk our country being torn apart

15:45

by minority conflicts. It's crucial that we

15:47

stay neutral and calm public opinion. Otherwise,

15:50

we risk British Americans turning on German

15:52

Americans and who knows what else? And

15:54

if the combatants ask for loans from

15:56

our banks, lending to one side

15:58

but not the other would compromise our new neutrality.

16:00

I won't have American banks financing a

16:03

European war." Wilson

16:05

then glances toward the bedroom. You

16:07

can see that you're not going to change his

16:09

mind today, so you decide to cut the discussion

16:11

short. Well, very good, sir. I'll prepare the announcement.

16:16

Without further word, Wilson returns to the bedroom, and

16:18

you gather your things to head back to your

16:20

office. The President has made a decision.

16:23

You just hope that when his wife breathes

16:25

her last, the President will be able to

16:27

contain his grief. If he's determined

16:30

to avoid this war, the country will need

16:32

a focused leader. On

16:37

August 6, 1914,

16:40

President Wilson's wife died after a long

16:42

struggle with kidney disease. That

16:44

same day, President Wilson declared America's

16:46

neutrality. By then, battles were

16:48

raging across northern France as the

16:50

Germans pushed toward Paris. In

16:53

a speech to Congress two weeks later, Wilson

16:55

cautioned again, The effect of the war

16:57

upon the United States will depend upon what

16:59

American citizens say and do. Every

17:02

man who really loves America will act

17:04

and speak in the true spirit of

17:06

neutrality. We must be impartial in

17:08

thought as well as in action. Privately,

17:11

though, President Wilson favored the

17:13

Allies. His mother was English,

17:15

and Britain was an important U.S. trading partner,

17:17

as well as a fellow democracy. But

17:20

while Americans backed Wilson's desire to

17:22

remain officially neutral, believing the war

17:24

to be Europe's problem, many had

17:26

family ties that influenced their personal

17:29

allegiances just as their President had.

17:32

In 1914, around 90 percent of

17:34

America's population had European roots and

17:36

most still had extended families in

17:38

Europe. Many spoke European languages

17:40

in addition to English and maintained

17:42

strong cultural and political ties to

17:44

their family's countries of origin. President

17:47

Wilson and his advisors knew that German

17:49

Americans might struggle to support war with

17:51

Germany if they still had family there.

17:54

Irish Americans who wanted Irish independence might

17:56

balk at an alliance with Britain, and

17:59

the loyalties of the recent influx of

18:01

Italian-American immigrants were unclear, too. Italy

18:03

was a German ally before the war, but

18:05

had now declared its own neutrality. Ultimately,

18:08

Wilson hoped that Europe's war would end swiftly,

18:10

and he wouldn't have to grapple with these

18:13

difficult questions. Hopes were high, even

18:15

among the countries fighting, that it would all be over

18:17

by Christmas 1914. And

18:19

with Germany fast closing in on Paris,

18:22

that seemed likely. On

18:24

September 5, 1914,

18:26

German forces reached the Marne River. They

18:28

were now less than thirty miles from

18:30

Paris, but the breakneck pace of the

18:32

invasion had taken a toll on the

18:34

German troops. They were exhausted, their supply

18:36

chains were breaking down, and they

18:38

faced fierce resistance from the French and British,

18:41

who were determined to protect the capital. For

18:44

five days, more than two million soldiers clashed

18:46

in the Battle of the Marne. In

18:49

the end, an estimated half a million

18:51

soldiers were killed or wounded. Though

18:53

Germany's advance was stopped in its tracks,

18:55

the Allied troops were unable to push

18:57

them back, and the battle ended in

18:59

a stalemate. Rather than retreat,

19:02

both sides began digging trenches from

19:04

which they could defend their positions,

19:06

and soon these narrow, muddy dugouts

19:08

would stretch for nearly five hundred

19:10

miles, like a scar across France.

19:13

Back in the United States, Americans read newspaper

19:15

accounts of the bloody fighting, but public

19:17

opinion still leaned toward neutrality, and the

19:19

Great War in Europe had also become

19:21

a boon to the struggling American economy.

19:24

To keep fighting, the Europeans needed a

19:27

steady stream of supplies, from chemicals and

19:29

cotton to fuel and food. Orders

19:32

for these crucial goods flooded into

19:34

American businesses. The U.S. had

19:36

entered 1914 in an economic recession, but

19:38

by October of that year, the economy

19:40

was booming, as American companies raced to

19:42

fill the rush of orders coming from

19:44

Europe. And with money to

19:46

be made, the Wilson administration quickly dropped

19:48

its ban on U.S. banks, lending to the

19:51

combatants. Both the Allied and

19:53

the Central Powers could now look to

19:55

America for funds and supplies. So

19:57

while the United States would not be drawn into the fight, the

19:59

U.S. They were open for business, but

20:02

soon the British would make a move

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Your confidence journey today with eight.

21:28

In January nineteenth is T V American

21:30

freighter the Ss Will Amina last Brooklyn,

21:32

New York for the German Port of

21:34

Hamburg. It. Was carrying two

21:37

thousand tons of food including corn,

21:39

wheat, oats, beef, pork, and fruit.

21:42

Germany. Was fighting a war on two

21:44

fronts and relying on neutral countries like to

21:46

us for him ports to keep it's people

21:48

said. The. Company that hired the

21:50

Ss will I mean as to deliver the

21:52

goods stood to make a handsome profit of

21:55

one hundred thousand dollars around three million today.

21:57

But to reach Hamburg to will Amina would

21:59

have to say after the English Channel. And.

22:02

That meant going through a naval blockade that

22:04

the British imposed at the started a war

22:06

to colonel supplies to Germany. But.

22:08

The ship's captain was unfazed.

22:11

A blockade only applied items that

22:13

could help the German military like

22:15

John's explosives and ammunition. Food.

22:17

Was exempt provided it wasn't destined for

22:19

the German armed forces. But.

22:21

As the will Amina approach Britain, a

22:24

vicious storm struck. And a

22:26

wheel. I mean as captain sought refuge

22:28

in the nearest port the corners Thomas

22:30

Sounds. That ships troubles were

22:32

just beginning. Imagine

22:37

it's February Ninth, Nineteen fifty and you're the

22:39

Captain of the Ss. Will I mean

22:41

after enduring a worst storm you seen

22:43

and you're twenty years at see if you

22:45

release as a pilot those guys you

22:47

into the sound with harbor. Once.you

22:51

step out onto the rain swept deck

22:53

to assess the damage from the store

22:55

for then you see a group of

22:58

armed British customs officers boarding or vessel

23:00

head toward them as rain soaked your

23:02

face of a gentleman and a captain

23:04

and very relieved to be here to

23:06

help. Me: Help you. One of the

23:08

British Customs officers gives you a stern

23:10

look. We're here to inspect your cargo.

23:13

He. Non to a crewmates the hands

23:16

the customs officer an inventory the

23:18

good on board were carrying foodstuffs

23:20

our customers and determined government of

23:22

for private German enterprise. Cross

23:25

your arms and you hear your

23:27

crew gathering behind you and a

23:29

show of force. The British Customs

23:31

officers and Kauto Germany has just

23:33

nationalizes grain industry for food you're

23:35

carrying is now destined to determine

23:37

empire and therefore contraband subject to

23:39

seizure. you need unload your cargo

23:41

immediately. You don't move

23:43

a muscle. My orders are to

23:46

take the ship to hamper I

23:48

unload their and nowhere else when

23:50

we set sail from New York

23:52

are cargo was legal. The customs

23:54

officer looks indifferent and now it's

23:56

not than take us to course.

23:58

The customs officer glares. seven. He

24:00

turns to his men stay on board and ensure

24:02

this esl doesn't leave for to we have the

24:05

court order we meet. You.

24:08

Watch the customs officer leave and a

24:10

sauce. you bought time to challenge the

24:12

Caesar but not much you just hoped

24:14

court will decide in your favor or

24:16

you'll lose any chance of a profit

24:18

from this voice. The.

24:23

Royal Navy and forcing Britain's naval blockade

24:26

aggressively patrol the to sea routes to

24:28

Germany, the English Channel, and a two

24:30

hundred thousand square miles of the North

24:32

Sea between Scotland and Norwest. Or

24:35

first the blockade only saw to stop

24:37

weapons from reaching the Germans. But.

24:39

As the war progressed, the British added

24:41

sued cotton and other materials to the

24:43

list of goods it regarded as contraband.

24:46

So. When a private American ship, uss

24:48

Will, Amina answered the seas around Britain

24:50

in February nineteen Fifteen, it's captain was

24:52

surprised to learn that it's cargo was

24:55

suddenly a target of the blockade. Despite.

24:58

The Us suppliers protest. The British would

25:00

eventually when in court and sees the

25:02

Willem Mean as cargo. Britain. Was

25:04

now effectively blocking American suppliers from

25:07

using international waters to deliver food

25:09

to Germany. And. This soured

25:11

relations between us and Britain, but there

25:13

was little America should do about. The.

25:16

British had planted mines along the route

25:18

leading to Germany. And if

25:20

American ships wanted safe passage through

25:22

those waters, they needed to cooperate

25:24

with British authorities. But. Losing

25:26

cargo to the British wasn't the only risk

25:28

for american said see. Germany

25:31

was determined to undermine the blockade,

25:33

so they sent you boat submarines

25:35

into the wanders around Britain to

25:37

sink merchant ships, deliver supplies to

25:39

the else. This. Danger became

25:41

all too real. on May seventh,

25:43

Nineteen sixteen eleven miles off the

25:45

southern coast of Ireland when the

25:48

German you boat you twenty fired

25:50

torpedo at the British Ocean Liner

25:52

Rms Lusitania. Although the Lusitania

25:54

was a passenger ships, the Germans believed

25:56

it was secretly carrying munitions to support

25:59

the Allied force. After.

26:01

The torpedo hit it sank with in

26:03

only minutes taking nearly twelve hundred passengers

26:05

and crew with it. Among.

26:07

The Dead. Or one hundred Twenty Eight

26:10

Americans. The. Sinking of the

26:12

Lusitania sparked widespread outrage in the

26:14

United States. The. German government protested

26:16

that the Lusitania was carrying contraband cargo.

26:18

They had been given fair warning that

26:21

all British ships were at risk of

26:23

attack. What? The British and Americans

26:25

deny the Lusitania was carrying norms.

26:28

And a loss of American lives Man

26:30

President Wilson was compelled to. Between.

26:33

May and July Nineteen Fifteen Wilson sent

26:35

three letters to the German government. In.

26:38

The first, he urged Germany to stop

26:40

attacking commercial vessels. And. The second:

26:42

he accused the Germans have a cool

26:44

attack on the Lusitania and rejected the

26:46

argument that a British blockade was illegal.

26:49

Then. On July twenty first, he

26:51

sent his third letter warning that he

26:54

would regard the loss of any more

26:56

American lives due to Germany. sinking of

26:58

merchant vessels has deliberately unfriendly. The.

27:01

Kaiser took no notice of these letters. Breaking.

27:03

The British blockade was far more urgent

27:05

and appeasing to us, so the German

27:07

you boats continued to run the cease.

27:10

And then on August nineteenth, nineteen

27:12

fifteen, another you boat, You twenty

27:15

four targeted the British Ocean liner,

27:17

the Ss Arabic. On. Board

27:19

were more than four hundred passengers and crew

27:21

bound for New York. You. Twenty

27:23

four fired and struck the Arabic, sinking

27:25

it within ten minutes. This. Time:

27:28

Forty four people died, including

27:30

three Americans. Despite.

27:32

Wilson's warning: The Germans had deliberately

27:34

songs another vessel with Americans on

27:36

board. And as far as Wilson

27:38

was concerned, they had crossed the line. But.

27:41

Germany defended the a test, arguing that the

27:43

arabic had failed to a dentist. I itself

27:45

as a civilian ship. In. The

27:47

White House, The President and his advisors debated

27:49

whether to a sicily sever diplomatic ties with

27:52

Germany or to wait and see, pressuring the

27:54

Germans to call off the you bought a

27:56

tasks. Wilson. And his advisors new

27:58

that a continued loss. American law as would

28:01

ultimately leave the U S no choice but

28:03

to enter the conflict. So. For

28:05

the time being, Wilson decided to

28:07

maintain diplomatic relations, but demanded the

28:09

Germans ceased and policy of unrestricted

28:12

submarine warfare. After a

28:14

few cents days of diplomatic cables,

28:16

the Kaiser agreed. But. Unbeknownst

28:18

to Wilson, the Germans had circulated

28:20

a truce would be just a

28:22

temporary pause. Germany. Had

28:24

realized it needed more you boats to

28:26

break the British naval blockade. And. They

28:28

would need time to build up their fleet. It.

28:31

Was decided he was better to make

28:33

a tactical retreat now rather than continue

28:35

to risk provoking the United States. A

28:37

reason they could always restart their attacks on

28:40

commercial ships once they had increase their fleet.

28:42

A few boats. Are. In the

28:44

present, President Wilson was relieved. American.

28:47

Shipping and seafarers were safe from German you

28:49

boats, and the risk of the United States

28:51

being drawn into the war was diminished. But.

28:54

While Wilson ain't cheap to us out

28:56

of the war, another influential American wanted

28:58

to go one step further to convince

29:00

your have to lay down it's arms

29:02

altogether. On. December Fourth.

29:04

Nineteen, Sixteen. Automobile. Tycoon

29:06

Henry Ford said sales and the Harbor

29:08

in Hoboken, New Jersey. He had

29:11

charges and ocean liner called the Oscar the

29:13

second and declared it a piece ship. Ford.

29:16

Was headed to Europe on an amateur

29:18

diplomatic mission, intending to use his high

29:20

profile to build public pressure for ending

29:22

the. Once. In Europe, he and

29:24

other prominent peace activists plan to enlist

29:26

the help of neutral European countries like

29:28

Sweden and Norway to lobby the warring

29:30

states to enter peace talks. For.

29:33

Had initially hoped to win the support of President

29:35

Wilson. But. President declined predicting the

29:37

forwards mission would end in failure. Wilson's.

29:40

Doubt didn't deflate ford self confidence.

29:42

Still, He dismissed the President's describing

29:44

him to friends as a small me. Pushed.

29:47

On with his quest to end the Great War. Ford.

29:50

Also ignored the taunts of newspapers which had

29:52

dumped his venture a ship of Fools. But.

29:55

As a piece ship set sail for stood

29:57

tall on the deck and waved crowds of.

30:00

Wishers has a band played the popular pro

30:02

Peace song i didn't raise my boy to

30:04

be a Soldier. Three. Days

30:06

after for departed for Europe. President.

30:08

Wilson delivered his annual address to

30:10

Congress. Since. The sinking of

30:13

the Lusitania Wilson had been under

30:15

growing pressure from members of the

30:17

Republican party, including former President Theodore

30:19

Roosevelt to prepare the nation for

30:21

war. Earlier in the year

30:23

Roseville have published a book titled America

30:25

and the World War and which he

30:27

attacked Wilson's administration for failing to build

30:29

up the military. Roosevelt. Believed

30:31

it was crucial for the Us to asserted

30:33

strength on the world stage. Wilson.

30:36

Resisted to pressure at first. But.

30:38

After a summer of soul searching, he realized

30:40

that to do nothing would be a gift

30:42

to his political opponents. And the

30:44

chance arguments with Germany after the sinking of

30:46

the Yes as Arabic has shown him the

30:48

wisdom of military strength. Now.

30:50

Wilson had come to Congress to announce his change

30:53

of heart. He. Began by reiterating

30:55

his commitment to maintaining American

30:57

neutrality. But. Since the German you

30:59

go to tests, he'd come to believe the

31:01

nation needed to be prepared to defend it's

31:04

interest against aggressors. So. He intended

31:06

to spend ninety one million dollars building

31:08

up the American military. He

31:10

would enlarge the standing Us. Army by thirty three

31:12

thousand soldiers to a total of over one hundred

31:14

and forty thousand men. He also

31:17

announced a five year program of shipbuilding

31:19

to bolster the navy. This.

31:21

News galvanized advocates of American involvement

31:23

in the war like Roosevelt. They.

31:25

Sounded the preparedness movement to push

31:27

Wilson into going further faster, a

31:30

campaign to build public support for

31:32

even more military investments. Are

31:34

Wilson's plans came as a shock to

31:36

peace campaigns. Instead. Of seeing

31:38

increased investment is prudent. I. Saw

31:41

it is only a prelude to war. On.

31:43

Henry Ford's P Ship. Several activists

31:45

drew up a resolution denouncing the

31:47

new preparedness policy. But when

31:49

they began trying to corral other passengers

31:52

into signing it, tempers flared. Some.

31:54

Passengers resolved a bank president and his

31:56

plan to expand the military. They.

31:58

Accuse those who drew the resolution

32:01

of being unpatriotic. Arguments. Got

32:03

so intense that those refusing to sign threatened

32:05

to leave the P ship the moment it

32:07

reached Europe. So. When on

32:09

December nineteenth, nineteen fifteen after two

32:12

weeks see the Peace Ship reach

32:14

Oslo, Norway. The mood on board

32:16

was phrased. The. You matters worse.

32:18

And city as the city. The peace

32:20

campaigners got a cold dose of political

32:22

reality. Every nation at war

32:24

still thought they could win and refuse

32:27

to consider mediation. Ford. Soon

32:29

realized he'd misjudged his chances of

32:31

success. Less. Than a week after

32:33

the P ship reach Europe in poor health, he

32:35

boarded the ship back to America. Leaving.

32:37

His supporters to see through the rest of

32:40

his failed peace mission. By

32:42

early Nineteen Sixty, with prospects for

32:44

peace in Europe was engram, President

32:46

Wilson turns his attention to his

32:48

campaign for reelection. Facing criticism from

32:50

all sides, his plan was to

32:52

focus on his track record of

32:54

maintaining Us. neutrality. That would be

32:56

a delicate balancing act given his

32:58

growing condition at war with Germany

33:00

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33:28

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sweet.com size tellers Nets We do. On

34:22

January fifth, nineteen sixty, a fifty seven

34:24

year old American diplomat named Edward Cells

34:26

arrived at Bridgeport. A sound must carrying

34:28

the weight of the world on his

34:31

shoulders. House was a

34:33

politician from Texas who had become President

34:35

Woodrow Wilson's close friend and advisor

34:37

after helping him when the Nineteen Twelve

34:39

Democratic Presidential nomination. Now. The

34:41

President had interested him with another

34:43

critical missions to convince Europe to

34:46

stop fighting. Henry. Ford

34:48

had hoped that neutral European countries could

34:50

broker a peace. But. Now house

34:52

plan to propose that the Us government

34:54

mediate a peace deal. House.

34:56

New His mission was urgent. Although.

34:58

The Germans had temporarily pause their

35:01

submarine attacks on commercial ships. Both

35:03

he and President Wilson believe the attacks

35:05

would soon resume. Is. That happened,

35:07

you would be nearly impossible for us to

35:09

stay out of the conflict. And

35:12

war was the last thing Wilson needed.

35:15

At the start of Nineteen Sixteen, the

35:17

President was about to enter a reelection campaign,

35:19

and he intended to campaign on the slogan

35:21

he Kept Us Out Of War. That

35:24

wouldn't work if America was forced into the

35:26

fray before the Nov. A lesson. So.

35:28

Wilson says house to Europe to make

35:30

the case for an American mediated peace

35:33

without victory. Under this plan, the

35:35

Us. would encourage the warring nations of Europe

35:37

to call a cease fire and ago she

35:39

ate their way to peace rather than continue

35:41

to pursue a military victory. As

35:44

part of that Us engineered Salmond, a

35:46

League of Nations would be formed. Wilson.

35:49

Had grown especially fond of decide you. He

35:51

imagined this league would enable the world

35:53

to settle future disputes with our first

35:55

resorting to war. But. Like

35:58

Henry Ford before him. Edward. How

36:00

soon found that none of the combatants were prepared

36:02

to put down their weapons. Over

36:04

lunch on January twelfth, the British Foreign

36:06

Secretary, Sir Edward Gray dismissed Wilson's requests

36:09

to relax the naval blockade of Germany

36:11

in order to smooth the path to

36:13

peace. The. British hoped America would

36:15

eventually join the war and add pressure

36:17

on Germany. And Gray believes that

36:19

if Britain relax the blockade, the Germans would

36:21

no longer have any reason to attack commercial

36:23

vessels, and that would reduce the chances of

36:26

the U. S. entering the war. In.

36:28

Berlin house met with a German chancellor

36:30

who agreed to consider peace only on

36:32

the condition that Germany be allowed to

36:34

keep the territory date captured and Belgium

36:37

and Poland. The. Germans also influence

36:39

house, as they believed unrestricted submarine warfare

36:41

was the only way to beat the

36:43

British blockade. And when the war. And

36:45

if that meant war with America to so

36:47

be it. Then. In Paris

36:49

in February, French officials told house

36:52

that piece without victory was unacceptable

36:54

to. France. Had lost

36:56

territory to Germany and they would keep fighting

36:58

until they regained it. Privately.

37:00

The French also saw that houses only

37:02

mission was to help bolster President Wilson's

37:04

image as a man of peace ahead

37:06

of his reelection campaign. And.

37:08

The President's certainly needed a boost. In

37:11

early Nineteen sixteen, Wilson's chances of four

37:13

more years and the White House look

37:16

slim. Wilson. Had hoped his belief

37:18

and neutrality would win the day. What?

37:20

His republican opponent, Supreme Court Justice

37:22

Charles Evans Shoes, was a strong

37:24

advocate of preparedness In the public

37:26

mood was moving in that direction.

37:29

Over the summer, a tug of war

37:31

between a pacifist and preparedness movements intensified.

37:34

In cities nationwide, both sides took

37:36

to the streets. In.

37:38

New York City. The anti

37:40

preparedness committee push through the

37:42

streets a huge paper mckay

37:44

Stegosaurus name changes reference to

37:46

jingoism or extreme patriotism. The.

37:49

Marchers next to it held signs

37:51

that declared this animal believed and

37:53

huge armaments he's now extinct. But.

37:55

The preparedness rallies drew even bigger

37:58

crowds. In. New York Answer. Cargo

38:00

More than one hundred thousand people

38:02

joined preparedness parades. And. All

38:04

around the nation, people enrolled in

38:06

preparedness camps where they underwent military

38:08

training and even took part in

38:10

mock panels. And then as

38:13

the pendulum of public opinion fully swan

38:15

toward Us involvement. Violence. Erupted.

38:18

On. July twenty second at the Preparedness

38:20

Day and San Francisco. A. Pipe

38:22

bomb exploded in the crowd chilling send

38:25

people and injuring forty four more. Police.

38:28

Blamed members of a militant labor group

38:30

called The Wobbly Oh, they were later

38:32

freed after his proved they were conducted

38:34

using false testimony. The. Real culprits

38:36

Whenever a dentist. And

38:39

just two weeks after the attack in

38:41

San Francisco, another terrorist attack shocked and.

38:44

On July Thirtieth, Nineteen sixteen, the

38:46

depot at Black Com Island off

38:48

Jersey City was packed with munitions.

38:51

More. Than two million pounds, artillery shells,

38:53

small arms and P N T were

38:55

being held on barges and freight cars

38:57

ready to be loaded onto ships and

38:59

destined for the Allied Powers. But.

39:02

Just after midnight, a series of

39:04

small fires erupted on the pier,

39:06

causing huge explosions that shattered thousands.

39:08

A windows in Manhattan shook bridges

39:10

and flung debris up to a

39:13

mile, including into the Statue of

39:15

Liberty's torch. Four. People died

39:17

and twenty million dollars worth of

39:19

property was damaged. Investigators.

39:22

Concluded the explosion was the work of German

39:24

spies who are known to be active in

39:26

the Us. The. Destruction of the

39:28

arms on Black Tom Island would benefit

39:30

the Central Powers, and though the saboteurs

39:32

were never found. The attack would

39:35

soon lead us to introduce new anti

39:37

espionage loss and build up It's intelligence

39:39

services. But. Even this violence

39:41

wasn't enough to say President Wilson from

39:43

his commitment to neutrality, which he still

39:46

viewed as his ticket to relax. His

39:48

opponent, Charles You spend his campaign criticizing

39:51

Wilson's neutrality as well as his opposition

39:53

to draining women the right to vote.

39:55

And as election Day neared it seemed

39:57

as as Hughes might win. When

40:00

the results arrived in November, nineteen sixteen,

40:02

Wilson be shoes at the ballot box

40:04

by a mere twenty three electoral college

40:07

votes. It. Was a narrow victory

40:09

when enough to hold onto the White House.

40:11

Wilson. Has secured a second term by

40:13

campaigning on a piece tix. Assume

40:16

his resolve would be tested. Imagine

40:22

this January seventeenth, nineteen seventy and you're

40:24

in a small room inside the headquarters

40:27

of the British Royal Navy in London.

40:30

You. Work here as a code breaker and room

40:32

forty. Once you do here is so

40:34

secret that you're not even sure the British Prime

40:36

minister know some. That's. Because

40:38

your job is to decode intercepted

40:40

diplomatic communities, reach into the huge

40:42

tin box in the middle of

40:45

the room. Inside are the latest

40:47

intercepts waiting to be decoded. A

40:49

colleague looks up from the desk.

40:51

All right. So what have you

40:53

pull? out? The Americans? German? Something

40:55

else. It's just a note attached

40:57

to the message German cable said

40:59

yesterday from Berlin which line communal

41:01

descended on the American State Department's.

41:05

A colleague raises an eyebrow. As

41:07

pretty brazen of the Germans to use the Americans

41:09

like even if it is a coat and now

41:11

I'm sure they thought there was no chance we

41:14

the and assesses. We

41:16

take your seat, get to work

41:18

slowly but surely deciphering the encrypted

41:20

message. From a German

41:22

former minister parser, Zimmerman, and as

41:24

for the German ambassador in Mexico.

41:27

Step. By step message becomes

41:29

clear. Germany bullies. America will

41:32

soon joined the war. And

41:34

if that happens, Zimmerman once the ambassador

41:36

to make the Mexicans and offer your

41:38

jaw drops as you decode the details

41:41

of. Then you leave

41:43

from your seat and rush out a

41:45

room forty down the court or into

41:47

the office. As admiral for who oversees

41:49

are worth it. Closed the door behind

41:51

the. Admiral

41:53

New Genesis is as the Germans intend

41:55

to ask Mexico to join in a

41:58

military alliance against America. The

42:00

An incentive they're offering a return

42:02

of Arizona New Mexico insists Handle

42:04

smashes the message from your hands

42:06

of smarts reading. You. Know

42:08

you shouldn't talk and a term but

42:11

you can't resist. Ammo is that doesn't

42:13

get the yanks off the sense. I

42:15

don't know what will. Admiral only nods

42:17

absorbed and zimmerman decoded telegram. You know

42:19

that if he chooses to share this

42:21

information with the Americans could change the

42:23

course of the war. A

42:28

Prime Members You can listen to

42:30

American history tellers and free on

42:32

Amazon Music. download the Amazon music

42:34

kept a day or you can

42:36

listen and free with one reply

42:38

Us and Apple podcasts Before you

42:40

go, Tell us about yourself by

42:42

completing a short survey at Wonder

42:44

he.com/survey. Britain.

42:47

Would spend the next month wang want

42:49

to do with Zimmerman telegram. I

42:52

didn't want the Us to no room for

42:54

the existed or that they were intercepting messages

42:56

sent be in the State Department's cable line.

42:58

But. They had no doubt the contents of the

43:00

message would enrage Americans tend to. the message

43:03

would enrage Americans. And the chance to finally

43:05

get the Us into the war on the

43:07

side of the Allies was too good to

43:09

pass up. So. On February

43:11

nineteenth, Nineteen seventy, the British handed

43:13

over the telegram to the Us

43:15

Embassy in London, flaming they had

43:17

intercepted the message to Mexico. A

43:19

few days later, Us embassy in

43:22

London informed President Wilson of the

43:24

telegrams existence. The British hope this

43:26

act of German treachery would be

43:28

the tipping point and finally forced

43:30

America to declare war. From.

43:34

Wonder if this is the first episode of

43:37

our series? World War One from American History

43:39

tells. In our next

43:41

episodes, President Wilson asked Congress for

43:43

permission to declare war, a secret

43:45

police force, ghost hunting for domestic

43:47

spies, and the first American troops

43:49

arrive in the trenches of Europe.

43:57

American History Tellers is hosted, edited

43:59

and. The Only Lindsey Graham for

44:01

Airship Audio editing by Christian Fraga

44:03

Sound design by Mali, both music

44:06

by Lindsey Graham. This episode is

44:08

written by Trust and Donovan of

44:10

Yellow and research by Louise Birth,

44:12

Marina Watson and David Will Introduce

44:14

Edited by Dorian Marine Produced by

44:16

a leader is Asking Ah Production

44:18

coordinator is Jessie. Blame on managing

44:20

producer Matt Dance senior managing producer

44:23

by a more senior producer Any

44:25

Herman Executive Producers Gen Our Beckman

44:27

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